With the Australian media industry in the midst of its biggest shake-up in decades, Rupert Murdoch touched down in Sydney on Friday morning as the News Corporation executive chairman began his annual pilgrimage back home.

Murdoch was to touch down in Canberra but fog in the nation's capital prevented his private jet from landing, instead diverting to Sydney.

Murdoch's plans to land in Canberra were not politically motivated. Rather, the news man was heading to his country property Cavan, a sheep property outside Yass that he has owned for decades.

Murdoch was snapped with copies of rival papers The Australian Financial Review, which foreshadowed his impending arrival last week, and The Sydney MorningHerald. He is expected to come to Sydney next week – he reportedly hit the road to his country estate – with Melbourne on the schedule as well.

Murdoch, along with his son and soon-to-be Fox chief executive Lachlan, who is expected to arrive in Australian on Sunday, will attend the News Awards – a night to honour the best of the media giant's Australian journalists.